WINPlay -- Interactive Systems Worldwide Inc's play-by-play sports betting system, SportXction, was launched yesterday on BSkyB's interactive TV network during three simultaneous UEFA Champions League matches. ISWI will operate the SportXction system for Sky Sports' broadcasts of soccer, cricket, golf, rugby, tennis and snooker as a SkyBet branded product named WINPlay. The agreement between SkyBet and ISWI's subsidiary GIG is a one year-trial on the basis of shared betting profits with either party having the right to terminate the agreement six months after launch.
Court Order -- Britain's High Court yesterday ordered Vodafone and T-Mobile to deliver records of phone calls and text messages placed via mobile phone to the Jockey Club in order to aid its investigation of alleged match fixing. The two mobile carriers had both indicated an eagerness to share the information with the Jockey Club but were reluctant to do so without a court order because of data protection laws. The Court ruled that the public interest in maintaining racing's integrity supercedes the privacy of the individuals under investigation, and it also stated that the Jockey Club fulfilled the role of regulator rather than the victim of a scandal and should therefore be granted the information. The precedence of the case gives the Jockey Club yet another powerful tool to investigate corruption in racing.
No Tax on the Isle -- The Isle of Man's Treasury has agreed to extend a zero percent income tax rate to all companies licensed by the Online Gambling Regulations Act 2001. Effective as of April 2005, all taxable income derived from online gambling activities will be free from local income taxes. Recently the Isle welcomed Jane O'Rourke as its new Gambling Control Commission chairperson, and in early January a policy change allowed the Isle's operators to begin accepting U.S. residents as customers.
Deal -- Online gaming company Sportingbet, arguably the largest online gaming company in the world, has enhanced its product offering by signing an agreement to license a suite of soft-games and bingo-games from Canada-based I-gaming software provider Chartwell Technology.
Betting Law Firm -- Attorneys Dr. Wulf Hambach and Claus Hambach have founded law firm Hambach and Hambach, which is located in Germany and specializes in European and international gaming law. Supported by both German and foreign specialists, Hambach and Hambach promises speedy and efficient service, particularly for companies who are active in the German market or wish to become so. The firm also provides legal advice on media law and stock exchange law. For more information, see their website at www.betting-law.com.
Sky Upgrade -- BSkyB has re-launched the Sky Active interactive television service with a new interface that uses much more sophisticated media. According to Gerry O'Sullivan, operations and design director of Sky Interactive, "The audience has been experiencing full branding designs on television, but not through interactivity. People want a TV channel that they can interact with, rather than a list. We wanted to achieve the personality and engagement that you get with broadcast television."
Poker Craze -- E! Networks plans to put another poker program on U.S. television. The channel's one-hour series called E! Hollywood Hold'em will debut on March 17th and will feature poker tournaments held at the home of a different celebrity host each week. The host will provide a tour of his home and invite two of his best friends as well as two other celebrity poker players to the table…. InterPoker.com will provide 145 of its online players with seats to the World Series of Poker this year. Players can win the WSOP's $10,000 entry fee by entering $10+$1 buy-in satellite tournaments at InterPoker.com…. OnGame, the Swedish company that runs PokerRoom.com and PokerNetwork, will soon launch a campaign in Israel to teach the game of poker. At first the campaign will consist of actual (not online) poker classes in Tel Aviv with tutors brought in from overseas. The company also plans to launch a Hebrew-language online poker site soon.